UNIT 02

GUESSING MEANING FROM THE CONTEXT

Guessing meaning from context is an important technique that will improve your reading skills
and the speed with which you can read. Obviously you do not have a dictionary, so there are likely
to be a lot of words from the reading text that you do not understand and you cannot check.
No matter what level you are in, you will often come across difficult words in texts you are exposed
to. Therefore, guessing meaning from context is a strategy which is worth developing.
Guessing meaning from context
Guessing from context refers to the ability to infer the meaning of an expression using contextual
clues. These clues may be purely linguistic or situational:
Linguistic context: the linguistic environment in which a word is used within a text.
Situational context: extra linguistic elements that contribute to the construction of meaning
this may involve background knowledge of the subject.
What this amounts to is that learners should be able to infer the meaning of an unknown word
using:
1. the meaning of vocabulary items that surrounds it;
2. the way the word is formed (part of speech);
3. background knowledge of the subject and the situation (clues).
Take a look at this example:
It had been raining hard through the night so It had been raining which means the ground
the ground was saturated. must be wet. It was raining 'hard' so this
means the ground is probably very wet.
 What part of speech is “saturated”?
 What does 'saturated' mean? saturated = completely wet (adjective)

By doing this you are guessing meaning from context and you should try and use this technique
for words you do not know. It may not always be clear from the actual sentence and you may
have to look at other sentences around the word.

Strategies for guessing

This handout gives you some strategies for guessing the meaning of words from their contexts.
When you guess the meanings of words, you are like a detective. You need clues to help you solve
the mystery. This handout shows you how to use the following kinds of clues:
HINT EXAMPLE EXPLANATION
Often you can guess the The cacophonous rattling A noise that would make you
meaning of a word just by made Maria cover her ears. cover your ears would be
using your own knowledge of unpleasant or jarring.
the world and how things
work.
Some sentences set off the  Origami – Japanese paper Dashes -, Parentheses (),
definition for a difficult word folding – is a family fun. coma,.
by means of punctuation.  Fibrin, elastic threads of
(Punctuation Clues)
protein, helps blood to
clot.

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 A word’s meaning is often 
given by including its
definition in the sentence. 
(Definition Clue)
Because some sentences give
example for a new word, you
can build a definition.
(Example Clue)
Comparison clues show that
two or more things are alike.
With contrast clues, you use
the opposite of known
information to figure out the
meaning of an unknown
word.
Referent clues is when an
unknown word is referred to
(mentioned) again using a
synonym or explanation of
the word.
A cane resembles a
walking stick.
Giggling involves laughing
in a silly way.
Select a periodical from
among the following: Time,
Reader’s Digest, or
Seventeen.
Washing windows is a
tedious job. Similarly,
cleaning the oven is very
boring.
Although some old people
abhor change, most of them
enjoy new things and
experiences.
She yelled out the window at
her neighbor’s dog. Then she
said to her husband, “That
hound is always waking me
up at night with its barking.
Tomorrow I’m going to
complain.”
Helping words: is, was, are,
means, i.e. (that is), involves,
is called, that is and
resembles.
The sentence doesn’t say that
a periodical is a magazine, but
you can figure that out from
example.
Words like similar, as well as,
both and likewise show that
comparison is possible.
Connecting words like
however, yet, on the other
hand, instead of, but, while
and although are used to
show that meanings are
opposite.
Synonyms often follow words
like this, that, these, those, or
the.

Exercise
The words underlined in each of the following sentences may have a meaning that you do not
know. Try to use hints in the sentences in order to make up a definition. Do not use dictionary!
1. Projectiles include those items that are shot forward such as a cannon shell, bullet, or rocket.
2. The curling iron was so hot that Martha singed her hair when she tried using it.
3. Max was sick of quarreling with his wife about money when all he wanted to do was enjoy
her company.
4. Sleet (half rain and half snow) can be very difficult to drive in due to poor visibility.
5. Katie appeared infallible in math class because she had never gotten a problem wrong.
6. On the way to her room after just having been grounded, Tammy murmured something
under her breath.
7. Many people are afraid of reptiles like lizards, snakes and turtles.
8. The rays from the rising sun shined splendidly through our kitchen window.
9. Her tea was tepid, so she put it in the microwave.
10. The deluge, a flood of rain, threatened to drown the little town.
11. The book of logic contained many conundrums - mind-exercising puzzles.
12. Small enterprises are usually defined as businesses with fewer than 50 employees and less
than $2 million in annual (yearly) revenues.
13. Tracy held the flower as gently as she could, fearing that the delicate stem would break.

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14. Jennie didn't like the jacket her mother bought her until several strangers made remarks
about how much they liked it.
15. The girls languidly put on their jackets as if they had no energy at all.
16. Johnny was besotted in not checking the depth of the water before he jumped in, but it was
a good thing that his father was wise and checked it first.
17. The podiatrist told the woman to take the medicine for 5 days and call him if she didn’t feel
better.
18. Rodents such as mice, rats and beavers, can often do a lot of damage.
19. After the bird escaped, Chris tried to coax it back into the cage with treats.
20. Many fast-food restaurants operate by means franchises. A franchise is permission to sell
products that a manufacturer grants to a dealer.
21. It takes a special kind of person to give up a regular job’s security, i.e. the safety of a weekly
paycheque, to go into business on her own.
22. The research company said that less-established car makers such as Subaru and Isuzu could
be forced out of North America.
23. Instead of vegetating at home, lots of old people are very active in the community.
24. Because he had such good friends and family, Malcolm considered himself fortunate.
25. The reporter talked to many auto-industry executives, e.g. company presidents and vice-
presidents.
26. My neighbors have a beautifully landscaped yard. It is well arranged with beautiful shrubs,
lush looking trees and bright flowers.
27. Kevin thought that it was a great injustice that girls could wear earrings in the school while
the boys could not.
28. The diamond ring was radiantly shining on her finger.
29. The professor was a favorite among the students at the college. His sagacity was helpful to
them as they pursued their degrees. The professor was known to use his experience, insight,
and common sense to help students pursue their education.
30. The tornado annihilated the whole town to the point that nothing was left standing.
31. John was so hungry that he didn't leave a single particle of the muffin on the plate.
32. Breaking even involves making enough money to pay for business costs but no more.
33. Anne has very red hair and she’s very self-conscious about it. Similarly, she’s very
embarrassed by her freckles – small brown spots on her nose and cheeks.
34. By the end of the book, Marilla adores Anne instead of disliking her as she did at the
beginning.
35. Anne has become an exemplary young lady. For instance, she wins a university scholarship,
she saves a young child’s life, and she has become truly beautiful.
36. Jackie was filled with mortification, or shame, because of her careless remark.
37. Two new girls started school this week. Beth has a gregarious personality. Jenna is rather
quiet.
38. Some vegetarians believe that killing animals is wrong. Others are vegetarian because they
think meat is bad for people.

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39. Beware of politicians who claim to be flomsy public servants. They are usually very
untrustworthy.
40. At first, Mrs. Smith’s heart condition seemed to be improving, but now there are disturbing
sigh of momsley.
41. Stongy pets, like Bengal tigers, spider monkeys, and boa constrictors, should only be
purchased through reputable pet stores.
42. The principal liked to smoogle students by walking through the halls with a baseball bat and
shouting through a bullhorn
43. The first inventors of lying machines often met with bloxy, rather than the admiration they
deserved.
44. The crowd of protestors clarked quickly when the police arrive with tear gas and clubs.
45. Paula was suspended from school because of several locksles of the rules, including smoking
in the bathroom and dressing improperly.
46. I was mombleed to learn that most chickens raised for food are put into such small cages
that the birds are unable to spread their wings or move around.
47. Just as water turls riverbeds, constant criticism wears away self-confidence.
48. Janice often asks dupey questions, such as “How did you get to be so fat?” in contrast, her
sister, Samantha, is always polite.
49. Our baseball team's pitcher has a few eccentric habits, such as throwing exactly thirteen
warm-up pitches and never wearing socks.
50. After the heavy rains, the stream became murky; in fact, the water was so cloudy you
couldn't see the bottom.
51. Entrepreneurs are people who start their own businesses.
52. The teacher stopped the students after she observed them wrestling.
53. The debris on the stadium floor included numerous paper cups, ticket stubs, and cigarette
butts.
54. Bobby thought that Clyde's theories about their substitute teacher being an alien were
absurd.
55. Another dangerous form of weather is hail (falling balls of ice) which has been known to get
so big that it can break a car windshield.
56. The coach takes every opportunity to censure his players, yet he ignores every opportunity
to praise them.
57. The newlyweds agreed to be very frugal in their shopping because they wanted to save
enough money to buy a house.
58. Although Alex usually looks unkempt, he had a very neat appearance at his job interview.
59. Because there was so little precipitation this year, the crops dried up and died.
60. Although I was unable to understand all of the details of the presentation, I did get the gist
of it.

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